Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Ipswich Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Ipswich

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,343 per month in Brisbane vs $2,119 in Ipswich, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,321 per month in Brisbane vs $3,036 in Ipswich, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,298 per month in Brisbane vs $3,952 in Ipswich, rent included.

Brisbane costs about 11% more than Ipswich, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Brisbane and Ipswich sit above the global median – Brisbane by 75%, Ipswich by 58%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.40 A$22.97

$16.28 A$22.79

0.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 A$98.9

$78.4 A$110

-9.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 A$13.60

$9.79 A$13.71

-0.72%

Cappuccino

$3.62 A$5.07

$3.40 A$4.75

6.47%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 A$3.92

$2.50 A$3.50

12.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 A$3.00

$2.13 A$2.98

0.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.40 A$8.96

$6.43 A$9.01

-0.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 A$11.00

$7.33 A$10.26

7.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 A$2.24

$1.45 A$2.03

10.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 A$3.24

$2.33 A$3.27

-0.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 A$2.65

$2.02 A$2.83

-6.44%

Eggs

$4.31 A$6.04

$4.43 A$6.20

-2.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 A$11.16

$8.36 A$11.71

-4.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 A$11.79

$8.39 A$11.74

0.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.35 A$18.68

$13.57 A$19.00

-1.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 A$4.74

$3.33 A$4.66

1.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 A$3.99

$2.75 A$3.85

3.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 A$3.83

$3.01 A$4.21

-8.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 A$5.95

$4.04 A$5.66

5.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 A$3.55

$2.49 A$3.48

1.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.20

$2.15 A$3.01

6.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.03

$2.15 A$3.01

0.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 A$1.83

$1.53 A$2.15

-15.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.47 A$45.45

$40.12 A$56.2

-19.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.10 A$19.74

$22.51 A$31.52

-37.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.69 A$6.57

$4.50 A$6.30

4.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 A$5.97

$5.44 A$7.61

-21.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 A$0.48

$2.62 A$3.67

-87.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.10 A$37.94

$64.3 A$90.1

-57.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 A$3.24

$2.07 A$2.90

12.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 A$2.14

$1.38 A$1.93

10.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.98 A$47.58

$33.53 A$46.94

1.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.65

$1.19 A$1.67

-0.84%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.5K A$39.9K

$29.1K A$40.8K

-2.11%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.6K A$31.6K

$22.5K A$31.5K

0.35%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$147 A$206

$186 A$261

-21.22%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$25.95 A$36.32

$29.28 A$41.00

-11.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.2 A$75.9

$52.7 A$73.8

2.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.57 A$68.0

$48.11 A$67.4

0.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.34 A$24.28

$15.50 A$21.70

11.87%

Cinema Ticket

$12.89 A$18.04

$13.07 A$18.30

-1.38%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,597 A$2,235

$1,608 A$2,251

-0.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,723 A$12.2K

$12.0K A$16.8K

-27.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 A$101

$69.1 A$96.7

4.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.20 A$60.5

$50.4 A$70.6

-14.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 A$128

$101 A$141

-9.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 A$143

$106 A$149

-4.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,585 A$2,219

$970 A$1,358

63.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 A$1,764

$960 A$1,344

31.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,658 A$3,722

$1,307 A$1,829

103.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,894 A$2,652

$1,304 A$1,826

45.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,202 A$11.5K

$6,096 A$8,534

34.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,384 A$7,538

$5,383 A$7,537

0.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,267 A$5,974

$4,346 A$6,085

-1.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

4.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Brisbane: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ipswich: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,585 in Brisbane versus $970 in Ipswich. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2% higher in Ipswich, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Brisbane versus $78.0 in Ipswich. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $354 – making Brisbane the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Brisbane vs Ipswich: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brisbane costs about 11% more than Ipswich, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,515 per month in Brisbane and $3,179 in Ipswich. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ipswich, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Brisbane – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Brisbane and $78.0 in Ipswich. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Ipswich, where all-in costs run around $2,119, than in Brisbane at $2,343. In Ipswich it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brisbane it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ipswich – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ipswich. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brisbane makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.